The celebration started with a high-level event, during which the statements of the United Nations Secretary-General and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights were read respectively by Mr. Mamadou Diallo, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Resident Coordinator in Guinea-Bissau and Ms. Mireya Peña Guzman, Chief of the Human Rights Sections and Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Guinea-Bissau. Participants were also addressed by the Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Ms. Ruth Monteiro. 

The event was joined with the marking of World Aids Day, with interventions by Ms. Magda Nely Robalo Silva, Minister of Public Health and Mr. Jean Marie Kipela, WHO Representative 

During the celebration a journalist prize was awarded for the best works on human rights, preceded by an address by the President of the Bissau-Guinean Human Rights League, Mr. Augusto Mário da Silva, and representing the sponsors of the prize, the Ambassador of Portugal, Mr. António José Alves Carvalho and the Ambassador of the European Union Delegation, Ms. Sónia Neto.

Following the high-level event, a roundtable discussion reflected on the freedom of expression and opinion, the right to assembly and peaceful demonstration and the role of the human rights defenders. 

The event was attended by 100 persons including 35 women from the Government, National Assembly and other national institutions, civil society organizations, members of the international community, UN agencies and media outlets.